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Although the woman wanted to say more, seeing his expression, she decided not to press further but had already made up her mind.
Their daughter was living such a good life; it was only right for her to support them in their old age.
In the future, she not only wanted servants to attend to her but also for her child to buy her luxurious silk and satin clothing. She even planned to indulge in delicacies like bird’s nest and abalone to experience the taste. This way, she would become the lady of a wealthy family.
Gu Xiruo’s maid hesitated when she returned, saying, “Miss, why did you let them stay in the house? The man is tolerable, but that woman, I have a feeling… If they continue to stay, it will surely bring trouble to you, Miss.”
How could Gu Xiruo not understand this principle? Yet now that they had come knocking at her door, what else could she do?
If she were to drive them away, Gu Xiruo wasn’t worried about her biological father, but it was that woman. From the moment she saw her, Gu Xiruo sensed the woman was trouble and would likely cause more commotion.
“I still have use for these two. I will handle them, and you need not concern yourself,” Gu Xiruo instructed.
“Understood.”
The following afternoon, Gu Xiruo went to find the two individuals, but the woman was nowhere to be found. Gu Xiruo assumed she had gone out.
“Why have you come here?” Gu Xiruo asked.
“If it weren’t for the unbearable conditions back home, we wouldn’t have come to trouble you,” the man replied with a wry smile.
“After this, if your mother asks for anything, don’t give it to her. It’s not easy for you to be alone in the capital city. I don’t have any other demands; just having a place to stay and enough food to eat daily is sufficient,” the man genuinely cared for Gu Xiruo, always considering her well-being.
Hearing the man’s words, Gu Xiruo felt a sense of relief and grew closer to him.
“Father, I can’t disclose your identities to everyone. I’ll have you manage things at home… how about that?”
“Becoming a steward sounds good, but I have limited knowledge. I’ll learn from your household staff before taking on responsibilities to avoid causing you trouble,” The man expressed to Gu Xiruo, planning to enhance his skills before starting work.
Gu Xiruo’s impression of the man improved.
“Alright, I’ll ensure you receive proper training,” she assured.
“Great.”
As father and daughter conversed affectionately, Gu Xiruo’s maid rushed in, exclaiming, “Miss, you need to come quickly. The elderly lady who arrived yesterday has beaten the kitchen maid.”
Gu Xiruo nearly fainted from anger, and the man beside her looked displeased.
Had their conversation from last night meant nothing?
“Let’s go see,” Gu Xiruo said, leading the man and the maid to the kitchen, where they heard the woman shouting incessantly.
“Today, you must stew bird’s nest for me. Otherwise, you can leave,” the woman demanded.
Gu Xiruo was amused by the woman’s words; constantly demanding bird’s nest, and attempting to dismiss her household staff—did she truly see herself as the mistress of this household?
Now Gu Xiruo was certain that she could support her biological father in his old age and was willing to treat him well. However, the same consideration didn’t extend to the woman causing trouble from day one.
As Gu Xiruo contemplated how to address the situation, Hong Gang approached and delivered a resounding slap to the woman.
Confused by the sudden strike, Hong Shi stared at the person who had hit her. “You dare to hit me?”
“I hit you indeed. Miss has already been generous in accommodating us. Yet, you still push the limits here?” Hong Gang seethed with anger.
If this scoundrel caused her daughter to be ridiculed, he wouldn’t spare her.
Before Hong Shi could say anything, Hong Gang dragged her away.
With a slight smirk on her lips, Gu Xiruo realized that she wouldn’t need to intervene; Hong Shi’s fate wouldn’t end well without her involvement.
Upon returning to their residence, Hong Gang raised his hand and delivered another slap, exclaiming, “Did you completely ignore what I told you last night?”
Hong Shi, displeased, retorted, “What did I do wrong?”
“She have the good life she have now because of us. We’ve helped her a lot over these years. What’s wrong with her supporting us? What’s wrong with me wanting some good food?” Hong Shi argued.
“Do you want our child to be mocked? We work in Xiruo’s household, and she treats us well in private. Why stir up trouble like this? What good does it bring you if this escalates?” Hong Gang regretted bringing the woman along now; she was simply unreasonable.
“I refuse to be a servant. I want to be waited on,” Hong Shi insisted.
A hint of malice flashed in Hong Gang’s eyes. If Hong Shi continued this behavior, he would make sure she regretted accompanying them.
Upon hearing Hong Shi’s words as Gu Xiruo arrived, she was filled with disgust towards her.
This old woman really is quite self-righteous.
As Gu Xiruo was about to enter, she overheard Hong Gang warning, “Hong Shi, this is your final warning. Don’t cause trouble for Xiruo.”
“We treat her well, and she treats us well in return,” after talking with the child for a while, he could sense her struggles.
“What do you mean treating us well? Isn’t that what should be done? When we suffered and starved, she lived well. Why don’t you think about the role we played in her current situation?” Hong Shi’s words infuriated Hong Gang.
Gu Xiruo rubbed her eyes, trying to appear unwell.
Before Hong Gang could say anything else, Gu Xiruo, red-eyed, walked in and said, “Xiruo, don’t listen to her nonsense.”
“Father, I’m fine. It’s not that I’m neglecting you, but I truly have so much to handle right now. My foster family has already kicked me out, my brother blames me for our mother’s death and doesn’t treat me well. The elders at home who used to be kind to me are now treating me poorly. As a woman, I have to fend for myself and engage in business dealings with those people…” Gu Xiruo poured out her troubles.
Hong Gang felt a pang of heartache upon hearing Gu Xiruo’s words.
“Not long ago, my marital family also divorced me, and I…” Gu Xiruo continued.
Learning that his daughter had gone through a divorce, Hong Gang’s heart ached even more.
“It’s okay. I’ll protect you from now on. I’ll learn more from your household members and assist you sooner,” Hong Gang comforted her.
“Thank you, Father.”
“No need to be so polite with Father,” he replied tenderly.
However, Hong Shi seemed somewhat indifferent to the situation.
“With such a large place to live in and people to attend to you, what’s so bad about it? What difference does a divorce make after everything we’ve been through these past two years?” After enduring hardships, Hong Shi’s attitude towards Gu Xiruo had soured, her words carrying a hint of bitterness.
Unable to tolerate her words, Hong Gang raised his hand and delivered another slap. “Say one more negative word about Xiruo, and see what happens.”
“It’s not that the kitchen isn’t preparing these dishes for you today. It’s just that since I started managing my own household, I haven’t bought bird’s nest,” she clarified. She had eaten these delicacies during her time at the Gu and Qing families but simply didn’t have a preference for them.
She refrained from purchasing them out of choice, but to Hong Gang, it seemed like a financial constraint.